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Marco Del Rossi
Marco Del Rossi is a graduate of Degrassi Community School and is valedictorian of his graduating class. He received discrimination because of his sexuality, which is a major part of his storyline on Degrassi. Marco is portrayed by Adamo Ruggiero. Character History Season 2 Marco was first seen messing with Jimmy and Spinner at a dance competition. Marco won the event and eventually became quick friends with them. When Craig held a weekend party, he joined him, Sean and Spinner for a joyride with one of Joey's cars from the dealership. However, they were soon caught by Joey and sent home. Marco also met Ellie, and they quickly became close friends. As Ellie liked him more, she sent him secret admirer notes. When she sends him one saying to meet her, he thinks it's Hazel. When Marco shows up and sees Ellie, he says that he was meeting Hazel, and Ellie says that she knows and runs off. Marco calls her, meets her by the school, and says that Hazel's not his type. He starts dating Ellie but he views her as a friend instead of a girlfriend. Later, when Ellie wants the relationship to go further, Marco's confused feelings about his sexuality start to get confusing. Spinner starts making fun him about being homosexual, much to Marco's annoyance. Jimmy was upset that Spinner was not being supportive of his sexuality and told Marco to ignore him. Marco tried, but was irritated every time Spinner would repeat the same joke over and over again. In an attempt to hide the fact that he was gay, Marco decide to finally ask Ellie out on a real date, which is what she had wanted for a long time now. Ellie was so happy to finally be with Marco, but did not feel wanted during their time together. When they went out, he reluctantly held her hand and pretended to sneeze into his own hands, so he wouldn't have to hold hers. He also didn't give her a kiss good night until Spinner and Craig were watching the next day, and Marco wanted to look cool. Ellie was overjoyed now, and was finally feeling like Marco and her were expanding in their relationship. When they all went to Ashley's house for a movie, Ellie and Marco go upstairs. They begin kissing, but Marco keeps pulling out and away. Ellie asks him if he finds her attractive. When he doesn't answer, Ellie then asks if he even likes girls at all. He says he doesn't know and Ellie tells him that she needs an answer because it's not fair to leave her hanging since they were supposedly in a relationship at the moment. Marco thought about what Ellie had said and finally came pout to her and said that he's homosexual. Ellie tells him that she will pretend to be his girlfriend for a while to hide his secret, but she can't go on with it forever. Marco then thanks her for her support and says that he's not ready to come out to his friends yet. Ellie promises that when he is ready, she will be there for him. Season 3 While on a trip to the beach, Marco meets Dylan, Paige's older brother, who is also gay. The same day, Ellie tells Marco she is tired of pretending to be his girlfriend and she announces to everyone that they broke up. When Ellie announces this, Marco becomes upset, and runs away. Dylan, who suspects Marco is gay, follows and tries to comfort him. The next day, a suspecting Spinner tries to set Marco up with Hazel and they go on a double date with Spinner and Paige. When Ellie meets them, Marco feels guilty and leaves. Spinner follows him and asks why Marco left. Marco starts to cry and admits to Spinner that he is gay. Hearing this, Spinner is shocked and disgusted and leaves Marco alone. Spinner starts to bully Marco, and writes "Marco is a fag" in the school's restrooms wall. Jimmy sees Spinner writing it and becomes mad at him, telling Spinner that hating Marco for his sexuality is just as bad and stupid as hating Jimmy for his skin color, indicating that Jimmy had accepted Marco for who he was regardless. Later, Marco is attacked on his way to Dylan's hockey game and the gay-bashers break his phone as Jimmy called and Marco screamed for help. He was bashed because he was in the "gay part" of town. Marco pleads for them to stop and calls for help. Luckily for him, the police show up and chase the bashers away. Jimmy somehow finds Marco with the police and comforts him after being attacked. The next day, Marco finds what Spinner wrote on the wall and tells him he is just like his attackers, and admits to Spinner that he wasn't bashed for his shoes, but because he was gay. Marco then exits the washroom angry and leaves Spinner to ponder over his homophobia. Sometime later Spinner got over his homophobia and helped Marco get a date with Dylan. They are watching a movie and Marco tries to hold Dylan's hand, but he is afraid. Dylan sees this and so he holds his hand. The two had a good time until they ran into Marco's parents. They all went to eat and the two felt uncomfortable as Mr. Del Rossi made some snide homophobic remarks when he could tell their waiter was gay. Dylan left quietly and Marco thought his father had unknowingly ruined their date. However, this was not the case as the two shared a passionate kiss the next day. Marco is also seen as one of the members of the band Downtown Sasquatch along with his friends Craig, Spinner, and Jimmy. The band they created together during the year. Season 4 Marco decided to run for Class President but he has some competition from Alex Nuñez, a girl known for getting into trouble. She threatened to reveal that he was gay to everyone but during the event she decided to keep his secret. Marco won on his supporters and the strength of his campaign and made Alex his vice-president. They become friends with each other. During the presidential campaign, Marco also had some more problems with Dylan who temporarily broke up with him seeing as he still hadn't come out to his family and was hiding their relationship. Marco eventually came out to his mother when he told her that he had a breakup and she figured it was Dylan. His mother remained supportive for her son and agreed to hide Marco's sexuality from his father. Although Marco was not directly seen during the storyline era of the school shooting, he was shown to be involved during the aftermath. During the schools respect and reflection day, he took part in coping with a group of students in guidance of their feelings and revealed that he felt helpless and wanted to turn back time to before all the drama happened between Rick, Jimmy and the bullying. Marco, along with Craig and Hazel were very supportive of Jimmy during his recovery. They even helped him sneak out of the hospital one night to see a concert performed by Kid Elrick. Now that Dylan was in college, Marco didn't see him as much as before and discovered that Dylan was fooling around with other people when Marco wasn't around. Dylan told him that he loved Marco but only wants an open relationship with other men. Marco didn't want this and tried to make Dylan jealous (by kissing Craig), but this failed as Dylan was merely amused. Marco broke up with Dylan soon after, deciding that he wasn't interested in an open relationship. Season 5 Marco begins to form a renewed friendship with Spinner who has, after he is revealed to have provoked Rick's shooting, been treated and ignored by everyone else the same way they treated Rick. However, their new friendship is challenged when The Friendship Club, a Christian group at Degrassi and Spinner's new friends, decide to protest the Safe Sex Assembly that Marco helped organize. They argue that "abstinence is the only way." Linus, the leader behind the protest, personally attacks Marco for his open homosexuality and "sexually immoral" ways. A fight quickly breaks out between the two. Spinner helps break up the fight. After the fight is over, Spinner decides to side with Marco. Tim is a new kid at Degrassi. He needs help with his sexuality and soon meets Marco. Marco becomes a mentor to Tim, convincing and encouraging him to come out to his father, lying about his own father knowing. Tim comes out to his father, and learns that Marco never came out to his own father. Marco feels guilty when Tim calls him a liar and brings up the subject of Tim's homosexuality with his homophobic father. His father reacts angrily and Marco reveals Tim was gay and ignores Marco, but takes his seat for Hamlet in which Marco is the title character. When Marco begins to recite the famed speech about Yorick, he realizes he has something to do too. He announces to the whole audience that he's gay. When he arrives home that night, his father still acts like he never said a word. Marco insists on talking about it, but his father tells him that he loves him but he doesn't want to know this part about him. Marco concludes, "Then you don't want to know me." As Marco and Tim just begin to date steadily, Dylan returns for summer break. Paige tells Marco, who is still bitter towards Dylan for cheating on him. Dylan confronts Marco at a bar and tells him he misses him, but Marco tells Dylan off. Later, when Marco confronts Dylan at his house to tell him to stop calling and texting him, Dylan tells Marco that the reason he came home for the summer is because he is still in love with him. After a poker game gone sour, Marco realizes he still reciprocates Dylan's feelings. Marco confesses this to Tim, and Tim realizes Marco is just using him to get back at Dylan and breaks up with him. Marco decides to meet with Dylan again, making him promise to never hurt him again. Dylan assures Marco that "even idiots grow up at some point," and that Marco means everything to him. Marco decides to give Dylan another chance and they get back together. Marco and Tim never become friends again after they break up. Marco graduates as the valedictorian of the Degrassi class of 2006. Season 6 After telling his father several times that Dylan is just a friend, he allows Marco to move in with Dylan. Marco throws Paige a going-away-party which is eventually ruined by his father, who could only get a moving truck on the day of the party, and when Ellie gets kicked out of her dorm, Marco and Dylan let her move in. Marco confesses that he's confused and stressed about what's ahead, and how hard it will all be compared to high school which was a "cakewalk" compared to university life. Paige and Ellie both promise Marco to be there for him, despite that they're moving to different universities. Dylan's busy hockey schedule makes Marco feel lonely. Dylan is also being very secretive, and Marco suspects that he is cheating. He plans a romantic evening for them, but Dylan leaves abruptly. Marco then reads Dylan's e-mail, and discovers he is meeting someone in a bar. When Marco confronts him at the bar, he finds out that Dylan is actually meeting a hockey-scout, who wants to scout Dylan for a Swiss hockey-team. Later, Marco apologizes for not being honest with him. Dylan tells Marco that he didn't want to say anything because he assumed he wouldn't understand or be supportive. Marco tells Dylan that he should go if it's what he really wants to do, but Dylan is conflicted because he still wants to stay and be with Marco. Marco assures Dylan that it's an opportunity that he can't pass up, and that they will make the most of the time they have left together. When Dylan left, Marco was keeping himself cooped up inside their house, and worrying miserably that Dylan was hooking up with other guys on his team or in Switzerland. To occupy his time, he would play online poker and win money by playing. When Spinner tried to get Marco to have some fun, Marco suggested that they go to Daytona Beach and relax. Before they left they went to a club where Jay told them that he played poker with some other guys and invited Marco and Spinner to come along. That night Marco won lots of money and went out to celebrate. The next night they played again and Marco lost $1100. Later he went to see his father and stole $600 from him to play with. After getting arrested because of playing poker in Spinner and Jimmy's store, Marco tells his father that his behavior is due to how much he misses Dylan, and that he feels "empty" without him. Marco's father tells him that it isn't Dylan's fault that Marco stole the money and got arrested and that if he had any honor left he would work the money off for his father and start attending Gamblers Anonymous. Before he leaves, he tells Marco that it's time for him to start living his own life and not be so dependent on Dylan all the time. Season 7 After relationship troubles with Dylan, Ellie and Jesse take action and set Marco up with Jesse's friend, Eric who also works at The Core. The two go out for coffee and have a very friendly conversation. At first, despite feeling a connection with Eric, Marco rejects the idea of breaking up with Dylan and dating someone else, but Ellie talks to him, changing his mind. Later that night, while Marco is watching movies with Ellie, Jesse, Paige and Alex, he gets a call from Dylan. Marco makes his ultimate decision and finally chooses to end things with him. He quietly text messages Dylan back and says that it's time for "the talk", implying they break up. Marco began to feel alone after his relationship with Dylan ends, and begins to hang out with Griffin, his new roomate, who is straight. However, he starts getting too clingy and calls their friendship a "relationship". After realizing he was acting out his feelings towards Griffin because of his loneliness, Marco decides to get a pet rabbit to give him some company. Marco ends calling his rabbit Hip Hop and although they bond well, Marco is still overcome by his feeling of loneliness and becomes attracted to the club hopping lifestyle his new friend Devon is leading. Marco's financial situation becomes desperate and he fails to keep up with Devon's clique. This causes some friction with Ellie and the other roommates. Marco soon becomes desperate and starts to gamble his money, but he ends up losing it. Devon tells him how they can earn some cash, and they meet up together in a car with a strange man. Marco realizes that Devon gets his money through prostitution. He ends up not going through with it, but he tells Ellie that he is worried, because he almost did do it, just for money to party. Ellie said money can't buy his rights to party or feel good. Later in the season, Marco changes his mind about Eric and they begin dating. With Paige moving out into her father's condo, he and Ellie would not have enough money for another two bedroom house. He asks Eric to move in but he refuses, saying that it was too early to be moving in with Marco, as they had only been dating for a month. Marco and Ellie were left to decide what to do with themselves since Paige was moving on. First they decide to get through their exams. That night, during a power failure, Marco and Ellie sadly talk about possibly moving on with their lives and going separate ways. The two suddenly have a momentary spark of romance in Marco's bedroom and start making out. Things go further, when Ellie and Marco both get caught up in the moment and over excitedly start stripping each others clothes off and nearly having sex. This causes Marco to have confused feelings about his sexuality. The next morning, Marco and Ellie wake up to find themselves in the same bed, both of them naked. Marco awkwardly tries to get dressed without Ellie seeing him without his clothes on. She wakes up to find him shirtless and greets him by calling him sunshine. He quickly slips on his shirt and runs out the door, calling back and saying that he will see her later after the exams are over. Ellie yells out that she was joking as he leaves the room. Marco does not respond and leaves the house to head out to finish his last exam. Ellie is annoyed and now avoids him, because of the awkward tension she now feels as well. Later that day, Marco corners her in the kitchen, she argues that all they did was kiss, and that it meant nothing at all, and she kisses Paige to prove her point. Marco asserts that part of him wanted to go further with Ellie, (hinting that he may in fact be bisexual), and Ellie admits that part of her wanted him to do so as well, revealing that they did not in fact go all the way. However, through their conversation and the fact that Ellie and Marco were both naked in the bed, proves that they almost had sex but didn't because they felt it that wasn't right. The two talk it out and decide to move out and go separate ways, because they realize that they have become too dependent on each other. They promise to keep in touch no matter what. Season 8 In [[Degrassi Goes Hollywood|'Degrassi Goes Hollywood']], Marco grows a cute little "porn stache" and gets a call from Paige to come live it up in L.A with her and Ellie. Marco is excited to be a part of the entourage and goes to get Ellie from The Core and they get on the next plane to L.A. They meet Paige at the airport and they go to her mansion. Marco isn't convinced that she lives there. Later that day, they go exploring and shopping through L.A. Marco looks at a monument and Vivica Fox shows up and flirts with him. A few days go by and Ellie runs into Craig. She is excited to see him and soon tells Marco. He isn't too happy because of what Craig did to Ellie before during season 6. Ellie tells him that Craig has a girlfriend and that he is sober, and has changed. Marco still doesn't believe her that much. At Paige's photo shoot, she has a stress attack. Marco starts to laugh because he finds it funny, not realizing how serious it was. Afterwards Paige is ticked at him for laughing. Marco quickly apologizes. Another few days have passed, and it's Paige's 18th (not really) Birthday Bash! Marco and Ellie attend it, while Craig follows Ellie there to prove something to her. But, Ellie doesn't want to hear it after she gets drunk on vodka. Marco tries to push Craig aside and they both end up in the pool. Meanwhile, Ellie has vanished to commit suicide by drowning herself. They run to the beach and find Ellie in the shallow end. They run and save her. They hug her and tell her to never do that again. At the end of the movie, Marco tries to tell Paige she is still the same little insecure girl who she has always been. Paige smacks him and that is almost the end of their friendship. He runs off with tears. In the last few scenes he tells Ellie to visit her father, in which she does. Also, one of the most famous scenes of the movie when Paige calls him at the hospital with Ellie visiting her father. Marco ignores the call and hangs up. Season 9 In [[Heart Like Mine (1)|'Heart Like Mine (1)']], Marco comes back to Degrassi as a student teacher. When he first gets to town, he walks in the Dot and is greeted by his good pal Spinner. Spinner and him talk about the things that happened. Holly J. and Declan walk in. Marco seems to be chummy with them, because they met previously. Holly J. is happy to find out that Marco will be her student teacher. Marco is happy but is worried that he won't be able to enforce the rules that well on her, because she is his friend. When it comes to be Marco's first day of teaching, he is nervous and shy, he lets things go too easily. Mr. Perino tells him if he really wants this job then he'll have to be more strict. Marco agrees to this and thinks to himself the next day he'll be more strict. The next day he is more strict and lays down the rules. Marco assigns the class an essay due in a few days. Holly J. and Declan feel as if they can't finish it in time and ask Marco for more time. Marco gives them one extra day but not to tell the class. When they're at the award show for the basketball team, Holly J. is there with Declan and she sees Marco and Mr. Perino. She texts Marco about the few extra days and more time. He sets her straight and tells her that he's her friend, but in school he is the teacher and it wouldn't be fair to give them more time, and no one else more time. Holly J. is bewildered and is surprised Marco won't give her more time. Holly J. is ticked and doesn't talk to Marco for the rest of the day. The next day while at the Dot Holly J. and Marco make up, him and her work it out where they can be friends and do their work when Marco's a teacher. Quotes Notable Dialogue * (Season 2, Episode 06 - Drive) Spinner: "Marco? Your mom's in the music industry right?" Marco: "She teaches piano, Spinner." (First line) * (Season 9, Episode 11 - Heart Like Mine Part 1) Marco: (To Trish and Ethan) "Leave room for the holy ghost." Trish: "What?" Marco: "Just not in front of a teacher, okay?" ''(Final line) Memorable Moments * (Season 3, Episode 05 - Pride Part 2) Marco: (''During volleyball) "Good thing Spinner spikes like a girl!" * (Season 3, Episode 05 - Pride Part 2) '' Marco: "Even strangers know, Spin. Last night wasn't about my shoes. Those guys, they knew... and they bashed me because they hated it, just like you do." Spinner: "Dude, that's brutal, but you can't compare me to those guys." Marco:'' "''Really? Why not?" * (''Season 3, Episode 09 - Against All Odds) Jimmy: (Turns on the TV and changes the channel to a porn film) "Ah, the wonders of satellite." Spinner: "Whoa, I didn't know you could fit that many people on a pool table." (Jimmy turns off the TV after noticing Marco staring at it uncomfortably) Spinner: "Hey! Turn it on!" Jimmy: "No Spin, not everyone here wants to see that." Marco: "No, its okay, seeing naked ladies doesn't burn my eyes out. Besides I wasn't looking at them." (Jimmy smiles) Spinner: "So what were you looking at?" Marco: "The drapes, Spin. You know, the curtains." Spinner: "Huh?" Jimmy: "He was looking at the the dudes. You're such an idiot." Spinner: "Oh, gross. Can we get back to work? I kind of care about my studies." Marco: "Spin, you've worked hard enough and deserve a break." Jimmy: (Continues watching porn) "Aah. Gentleman, you are looking at the future Mrs. Jimmy Brooks." Marco: "Her? Dude, that chick is totally fake. Now look at the dude right there. He's really hot." Spinner: (Gags in disgust) "Ugh." * (Season 3, Episode 19 - It's Raining Men) Marco: "I hate bees, their like flying death monkeys." * (Season 4, Episode 03 - King of Pain) Marco: "Take this picture and make your dormmates jealous." Dylan: "They're straight." Marco: "Then make them uncomfortable!" * (Season 5, Episode 12 - The Lexicon of Love Part 2) Paige: "Marco, do you ever think about girls?" Marco: "Wow, interesting question for first thing in the morning." Paige: "This is serious." Marco: "Okay, well, did you miss all the years I dated your brother?" Paige: "Yeah, but just because you're gay doesn't mean you can't think about girls every now and then." Marco: "Are you trying to hook me up? Oh, wicked, so there's a girl out there who likes me?" Paige: "Not you! Me!" Marco: "Well, who is it? Wait a minute, I know - it's Heather Sinclair! I've seen the way she checks you out". Paige: "Eew! Double eew! No, it's not Heather Sinclair." Marco: "Well..." Paige: "Alex." Marco: "Alex?" Paige: "She kissed me last night." Marco: "Whoa...." * (Season 7, Episode 06 - Death or Glory Part 2) Marco: "I'm just a people person." Ellie: "Well then, maybe you should get a pet." Marco: (sarcastically) "Oh, that's real funny, El, hilaire." * (Season 7, Episode 08 - Jessie's Girl) Caitlin: "Hello?" Marco: "Wow! The famous Caitlin Ryan's in my house!" Caitlin: "Uh, could I have a sec with Ellie." Marco: "Have a bunch of secs... (blushes, studdering) uh, I didn't mean..., not sex... uh, I'm just gonna go now." * (Season 9, Episode 11 - Heart Like Mine Part 1) Marco: "You can all call me, Marco. Mr. Del Rossi is my father." Fitz: "Is he a midgit too?" Marco: "They say, 'the shorter the man the bigger the brain'. How tall are you?" Trivia *Marco, along with Craig were the only two members of Downtown Sasquatch to be featured for the bands entire run. *Marco's has had an episode that focused on his sexuality during every season, except season 6. *Ellie was the first to know about Marco's secret. She found out during season 2, while his father didn't find out until season 5. *Marco is afraid of bees. *Similar to Riley, he came out to his friends before his parents. *Marco is one of four people that have been the closing character for the opening credits. He has also been so more then any of the other four. **Sean - No Logo (Seasons 1-2) **'Marco (Seasons 3-7)' **Jane (Seasons 8-9) **Alli (Season 10-present) *Also similar to Riley, Marco saw "Marco is a fag" written on the bathroom wall above the urinal written in permenent marker in small letters (by Spinner). However Riley saw "Riley's a fag" written on the school bus in big letters, in shaving cream (by Owen). Relationships *Ellie Nash **Start Up: Take My Breath Away (210) **Broke Up: Pride (1) (304) ***Reason: Marco realizes that he is gay, and Ellie is tired of being his fake-girlfriend. * Dylan Michalchuk **First Relationship: ***Start Up: It's Raining Men (319) ***Broke Up: Moonlight Desires (419) ****Reason: Marco caught Dylan cheating on him with another man. **Second Relationship: ***Start Up:' Total Eclipse of the Heart '(517) ***Broke Up: Standing in the Dark (2) (702) ****Reason: Dylan put no effort into their long distance relationship, so Marco broke up with him. *Tim **Start Up: Total Eclipse of the Heart (517) **Broke Up: Total Eclipse of the Heart (517) ***Reason: Marco is still in love with Dylan and Tim was just covering. *Eric **Start Up: Standing in the Dark (2) (702) **Broke Up: Don't Stop Believin' (722) ***Reason: Marco almost had sex with Ellie.